In this issue:
- Recap of Village Council regular meeting
- Lighthouse Landing fire, Village waiting on official word on the cause
- Village offices will be closed from November 25 & 26 for the Thanksgiving holiday
- The first Golf Cart Holiday Parade will take place this Friday, November 26, 2021, with line up starting at 2:30 p.m.
- It’s bonfire season, your permit may be denied because of wind
- Public Safety is raising donations for Bald Head Island Conservancy during No Shave November
- Creek Access permit renewal letters to go out in the next few weeks
- Online golf cart registration renewals will begin on Wednesday, December 1, 2021
- Fall paving is complete, shoulder work to continue for approximately another week and a half
- Annual PSA chili supper was a success
- Public Safety greets trick or treaters and gives tours
REMINDERS: The next Village Council meeting is on Friday, December 10, 2021, IPC/PO will be closed on Saturdays until further notice, the US Coast Guard’s operating guidelines and restrictions for COVID-19 are still in effect and can be found on the BHI Transportation, Inc. website HERE.
Regular Council Meeting – The Village Council conducted its regular meeting on Friday, November 19, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. Here is a summary of the information shared and the actions that were taken at this meeting:
Village staff gave an update on COVID-19 and recommended no changes to the Village’s current protocol. Masks are now optional in Village buildings and recommended for unvaccinated persons. The Public Safety Building was opened to the public last week and is also mask optional.
Mr. Chad Paul, CEO of Bald Head Island Limited, LLC, briefed the Council on changes that will impact Bald Head Island Transportation, Inc.’s baggage handling services. The changes include defining baggage and the possibility of limiting service to three bags per ticketed passenger. He indicated that these adjustments would need to be worked out before an electronic ticketing and reservation system can be implemented. Mr. Paul received input from the Council regarding impacts to Islanders and suggestions to consider in-peak and off-peak usage of services. Mr. Paul and the Council also discussed recent communication from the US Coast Guard regarding transporting passengers to the island and the requirement to have a “six-pack” captain’s license.
Under new business, the Village Council reviewed staff’s draft request for qualifications (RFQ) for landscape design services. Through this RFQ the Village will be able to select up to three landscaping firms which gives the Village flexibility to use different firms based on the scope of each project. Staff recommends creating an architectural design committee that will assist in scoring and selecting the firms. The Village Council unanimously accepted the Brunswick County Board of Elections official results of the November 2, 2021, municipal election, unanimously adopted a resolution certifying the election results for the GO bond referendum, and unanimously awarded the VBHI wastewater collection system duplex lift station refurbishment project to Utilitech Inc. in the amount of $455,000.
The Village Manager, Chris McCall, updated the Council on several items. Below are a few details on the information he shared:
Stormwater Management – The Village met with the BHI Club to go over the construction plans and timing for stormwater work that will require the closure of the front 9 holes. The Club agreed to contribute $15,000 to supplement its in-kind contribution of labor. Once materials are received in early February the work is to take two or no more than three weeks to be completed.
Lending Library – A proposal to install a lending library on the Village’s property at public beach access #42 was reviewed with Council. There were no objections. BHA will be asked for input, if necessary. The lending library will be constructed by volunteer, Jim McKinistry, who constructed the birdhouse at the marina. The “ladies of the library” who maintain the Judy S. Agner Memorial Library at the marina would be maintaining this lending library.
ADA Public Beach Access Redesign – Revised design drawings for the new ADA public beach access (BA #16) were reviewed with Council. The revised design considers a reduction in the overall scope of the project in reducing the footprint of the parking area and the size of the structure. This is in hopes of complying with several suggested revisions received from the BHA ARC after their review of the prior design. Council had no suggested changes but asked for the number of parking spaces at Beach Access #42 for comparison and for more detailed drawings of the proposed railings.
BOEM Wind Energy Update – Lease sales for the wind energy areas off the coast of BHI and Brunswick County have been initiated. Efforts will soon be underway to solicit stakeholder letters from BHI property owners to address the Village’s concerns about the protection of the island’s viewshed and the required land-based infrastructure. The Village will also be asking Senator Rabon to send a letter to Senators Burr and Tillis and Congressman Rouzer.
Certified Arborist on Staff – Mr. McCall announced that Public Services employee, Ian Carico, recently passed the arborist certification so the Village now has a certified arborist on staff. This will help the Village in its response during emergencies requiring the removal of trees and year-round preventative maintenance.
A full account of these meetings can be found in the minutes which are posted HERE. Typically, minutes are posted with the agenda of the next month’s meeting (ex. If you want to read the September meeting minutes, they can be found under the October regular meeting agenda).
Lighthouse Landing Fire – The Village is waiting on results from the fire marshal regarding the cause of Saturday night’s fire at Lighthouse Landing. As soon as the results are available the Village will be issuing a media release and Village announcement with those details. Plans are in place to formally thank all of those who were involved in responding to this emergency situation.
Village Offices Closed – Village offices will be closed on Thursday, November 25, and Friday, November 26, 2021, for the Thanksgiving holiday. This includes the Island Package Center and Post Office which will also not be open this Saturday, November 27, 2021. The IPC/PO will be open until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 24, 2021, to give Islanders extra time to pick up packages. Since the holidays are just around the corner, please review our tips for holiday mail and packages HERE.
Bald Head Island Transportation, Inc. has released its Thanksgiving 2021 ferry schedule. It can be viewed HERE. The contractor ferry will not be operating on the 25th and 26th and ICE vehicles are not permitted on Village streets on these days unless they have a special use permit issued by the Village.
Golf Cart Holiday Parade – The island’s first Golf Cart Holiday Parade is taking place on Friday, November 26, 2021. The Line-up of carts will start at 2:30 p.m. at the Shoals Club. The start-time will be 3:00 p.m. VBHI Public Safety will have a fire truck and one other vehicle in the parade. The parade will proceed along South Bald Head Wynd and end at the BHI Club. Those who will have their decorated carts in the parade will need to register with the club by emailing recreation@bhiclub.net or calling 910-457-5015. The entry fee is $20, and the proceeds will go to the Brunswick County Food Bank.
Bonfire Permits – It is now the time of the year in which the Department of Public Safety can issue bonfire permits. So far, Public Safety has received several permit requests. We ask that folks understand that they will receive a call from Public Safety if their permit is approved. It has been the case that several permits have not been approved because of windy conditions. For more information about bonfire permits go to the Village’s website HERE.
No Shave November – Several of the Village’s public safety officers have been sporting beards or other growth on their face or have highlighted hair for “No Shave November.” Each year the department participates in this month-long event with the proceeds from the money saved by not shaving, buying grooming products, etc. being donated to a local organization. This year, the department will be supporting the Bald Head Island Conservancy.
Creek Access Permits – If you already have a space at the Village Creek Access for your vessel (kayaks, canoes, small boats without motors), Creek Access permit renewal applications should arrive in your mailbox by mid-December with payment due by the 15th of January 2022. If you would prefer to receive your permit application via email, please contact Darcy at dsperry@villagebhi.org. Please review the information/address on the form and correct it if needed. The permit needs to be filled out in its entirety and returned to the attention of Darcy Sperry. Once payment is received, a permit number will be assigned, and staff will affix the stickers to the vessel for you. Permits are issued per vessel as opposed to per space. If you are interested in using a space at the Creek Access, contact Darcy (dsperry@villagebhi.org or 910-457-9700 ext. 1001) and if there is space available, she will get a space assigned to you once the proper paperwork is filled out and submitted. These spaces are permitted annually at the calendar year.
Annual Golf Cart Registration – Annual golf cart registrations are due by January 1st of each year. Online registration renewals will begin on Wednesday, December 1, 2021. This is for folks who already have a sticker and need to renew it. New cart owners always need to register at Public Safety so the cart can get its initial inspection. If you have any specific questions about the annual registration process, please feel free to contact Elizabeth Gray, Administrative Assistant, at 910-457-5252 or by e-mail at psadmin@villagebhi.org.
Fall Paving – The Village’s contractor completed the 1.4 miles of paving for this year’s fall paving project. A subcontractor will be working on the shoulders for the next couple of weeks to fully wrap up the project.
Chili Supper Fundraiser – A big THANK YOU to all who came out to the PSA’s chili supper fundraiser and to the PSA for contributing their time to this annual fundraiser, it was a big success! If you were not able to make it, donations in the form of a check can be sent to the Public Safety Auxiliary PO Box 3255 Bald Head Island, NC 28461.
Halloween at Public Safety – The Department of Public Safety was a stop for trick-or-treating this year. The department was cleaned out of its candy supply. The staff took the opportunity to show visitors what our Public Safety Department does and the tools they use to do it. Thank you to all the wizards, princesses, cowboys, ninja turtles, and pups who stopped by this year. See you next year!
Annual Golf Cart Registration – Annual golf cart registrations are due by January 1st of each year. Online registration renewals will begin on Wednesday, December 1, 2021. This is for folks who have already have a sticker and need to renew it. New cart owners always need to register at Public Safety so the cart can get its initial inspection. If you have any specific questions about the annual registration process, please feel free to contact Elizabeth Gray, Administrative Assistant, at 910-457-5252 or by e-mail at psadmin@villagebhi.org.
REMINDERS:
Next Regular Village Council Meeting – The next Village Council meeting is on Friday, December 10, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. in the multipurpose room at the Public Safety Building. This meeting is considered the Council’s organizational meeting. The meeting will begin with the current elected officials and any old business will be addressed, then the newly elected Council members will be sworn-in and address any new business. The plan is to have a reception with refreshments to celebrate the new members and bid farewell to those whose service has come to an end.
IPC/PO is closed on Saturdays – Until further notice, the Island Package Center & Post Office is closed on Saturdays. First-class mail will be delivered to post office boxes every Saturday. When staffing levels are back up, the IPC/PO will resume operations on Saturdays. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Mask Guidance for Ferries & Trams – On September 21, 2021, Bald Head Transportation, Inc. announced that US Coast Guard guidelines and restrictions require all employees and passengers (except children under the age of 2) wear a mask: 1. While waiting to board the ferry inside the terminal gate area, 2. While boarding the ferry, 3. While inside the ferry cabin, 4. While disembarking the ferry, 5. While riding in trams. Most importantly, social distancing should be practiced at all times.